Jointed metallic tape



P. H. WILSON AND 0. H. SAPPER,

JOINTED METALLIC TAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, I918. RENEWED NOV. 18, 1919.

1,827,865, Patented Jan. 6,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET P. H. WILSON AND C. H. SAPPER. JOINTED METALLIC TAP E.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, I9IB- RENEWED NOV. I8, I919. 1,327,365,Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

' 2 sHEETb -SHE ET 2.

(7 /MW Q/vi'l'ncnn M v f Chimneys ans PERCY H. WILSON AND CHARLES H.SAPPER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

JOINTED METALLIC TAPE.

Application filed May 1, 1918, Serial No. 231,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PERCY H. WILsON and CHARLES H. Snrrnn, citizens ofthe United States, and residing at Norfolk, Norfolk county, State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in JointedMetallic Tapes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to louvre blinds and more particularly tojointed metallic tapes for such blinds.

The objects of the invention are to provide a tape which is unafiectedby weather, has considerable stiffness in the direction of the width ofthe blind; occupies no more space in the direction of the width of theblind when collapsed than when extended; and may be manufactured oflinks stamped out of sheet material at a low cost. Other objects andfeatures of novelty will be apparent from the description taken in connection with he drawings, in which Figure is an inside elevation of aframe having a louvre blind employing tapes cons'ructed in accordancewith the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the top portion of the blindand frame;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the collapsible metal tape which isemployed to set tie slats and hold them in parallel spaced relation;

Fig. i is an edge elevation of the tape shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a link of the tape;

6 is anedge view of the link; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion ofa strip of sheet material illustrating how the links may be cut with aminimum loss of material.

neferring to the drawings the blind is illustrated in the usual frame 10of the window, although it is to be understood that the use of the blindis not limited to windows, but may be employed in other locations andf0- other purposes. As showma top support 11 is provided and thissupport has the spaced depending angle brackets 12 in which the shaft 13is rotatively mounted. The ends of the shaft project outside saidbrackets 12, and carry the sprocket wheels 13, which are arranged withinthe partial housings l4 and have the chains 15 and 16 passing over thesame, these chains being provided for the purpose of collapsing theblind. The brackets 12 in addition to the Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

'for' this purpose a toothed segment 18 is secured to the slat andmeshes with a worm 19 rotatively supported in the brackets 20- fastenedto the'top support 11. The axis of the worm extends transversely of theslat and the worm is rotatively comiectedwith a sprocket 21, arranged sothat a chain 22 passing over the same may hang without interfering withthe slat. Thus as the chain 22 is pulled, the top slat 17 will be rockedon its pivots. For the purpose of holding the slats parallel and inspaced relation when the blind is extended and also permit theprogressive collapsing of the slats, a novel tape of jointed metal linksis pro vided. Preferably there are two pairs of these tapes, one tape ofeach pair being at the front of the blind and the other at the rear. Attheir upper ends these tapes are pivotally connected as at 34c to thetop slat 17. Thus as the top slat is rocked for example to the positionillustrated in Fig. 2, the right hand tape of this figure is raised,while the left hand tape is lowered thereby tilting each of the slatsabout an axis parallel to the axis of the top slat. p

The metal tape which constitutes the subject matter of the presentinvention comprises a series of rigid links 23 pivotally connected attheir ends. For this purpose, the end of one link is slightly offset asat 24: and the adjacent end of the adjoining link is olfset in theopposite direction as shown at $35, and these two offset portions arepivotally connected as by means of a pin 26. As shown in Fig. l thisconstruction permits'the links to be arranged so that when viewed onedge they are substantially in a vertical plane; Furthermore the ends ofadjacent links, such as shown at 27 and 28 abut, thereby constitutingstops to limit the angles to which the links may open. As shown in 3,these ends are arranged so that the angles to which the links may openare limited to less than 180. In this manner all dead points aeeliminated, so that when an upward: force is applied at one of thepivots, it will cause the link above the same to be n'ioved angularly ina closing direction. The links are formed with similarly located centralapertures 29 for pivot pins 30. As shown at Fig. 2, these pins have ahead at one side of the link and extend slightly from the other sideWhere they are formed with an eye, clips C being pivotally supported onthese pins, the clips in turn carrying the slats S. The presentinvention is not limited to any particular clip for carrying the slat,but preferably we use a clip of the type described and claimed in ourapplication Serial No. 231,954, filed May 1, 1918.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the rigid links which form the tape consist ofquadrangular strips, a pair of the diagonally opposite corners havingthe offset portions or disks 24: and 25, these disks being pressed outof the plane of the main portion of the link an amount substantiallyequal to one-half of the thickness of the strip. These links may beeconomically cut from a strip of sheet material in the manner indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. loss of material. from cutting out the links,the offset end portions have the notches 40 which permit a single out toseparate one link from the next, as shown in Fig. 7.

iVhen the slats of the blind are tilted to close the spacestherebetween, the lower edge portion of one slat overlaps the upper edgeportion of the next lower slat and these two overlapping portions arevery nearly in contact, being separated only by the thickness of theslat clip. This close overlapping, )rovides a blind which issubstantially wcathertight. Furthermore, as the tapes are constructedfor collapsing movement only in a plane parallel to the longitudinaledges of the slats, and have considerable lateral rigidity, they act toprevent the whipping of the blind in heavy winds or storms. Because ofthis feature, it is not as imperative that the ends of the slats be heldin guides, as in the types of blind heretofore used.

As shown in Fig. 1, the chains 15 and 16 which are used to raise andlower the blind are secured asat 35 to the bottom slat 36. The positionof the sprockets 13 is such that the chains hang opposite the centralportion of the ends of the slats. Thu these act to prevent longitudialdisplacement of the slats. One of the chains such as 16 has the free end38 adapted to hang in a position so that it may be grasped and pulled toraise or collapse the blind.

From the foregoing description itwill be seen that an exceedinglysimple, strong tape unaffected by weather is provided. Furthermore thelinks of the tape may be punched and stamped up with automaticmachinery, so that the cost of manufacture is small.

Having thus described our invention What is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a tape forlouvre blinds comprising aseries of rigid flat links pivotally connected end to end 7. In order tominimize the with alternate links adapted to swing in the same andadjacent links in opposite directions and means to limit the angle towhich adjacent links may open to less than 180.

2. As an article of manufacture, a collapsible tape for louvre blindscomprising a series of rigid fiat links, means for pivotally connectingthe links end to end for swinging movement in a single plane, the pivotat one end of each link being on the opposite. side of the longitudinalcenter line of the link from the pivot at the other end.

3. As an article of manufacture, a collapsible tape for louvre blindscomprising a series of rigid flat links, each link having an offsetportion and an abutment portion at each end thereof, the oflset portionat one end of a link pivotally connected to a portion of the next linkofi'set in the opposite direction whereby all the links swing in asingle plane, the abutment portions of the links being arranged to limitthe opening of adjacent links to less than 180.

4;. As an article of manufacture, a collapsible tape for louvreblindscomprising a series of rigid links pivotally connected together at theirends, each link including a substantially quadrangular strip of sheetmaterial, each of a pair of dia onally opposite corners having a diskportion ofiset from the strip an amount substantially equal. to half thethickness of the strip.

5. As an article of manufacture, a tape for louvre blinds comprising aseries of rigid links, and pivots for pivotally connecting said linksend to end, said pivots being disposed in a line, adjacent pivots beingvat opposite corners of a link.-

6. As an article of manufacture, a tape for louvre blinds comprising aseries of rigid links, and pivots for pivotally con necting said linksend to end, adjacent pivots being at opposite corners of a link.

7. As an article of manufacture, a tape for louvre blinds comprising aseries of rigid links, and pivots connecting said links end to end forswinging movement in a single plane, alternate links adapted to swing inthe same and adjacent links in opposite directions.

8. As an article of manufacture, a collapsible tape for louvre blindscomprising a series of rigid links, each link having an offset portionat its ends, the offset portion at one end of the link pivotallyconnected to a portion of the next link offset in the opposite directionwhereby all the links swing in a single plane and means to limit theopening of adjacent links to less than 180.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signa' tures. I

